Jensen

The automotive history books may remember Jensen for the FF – the first all-wheel drive car on the market – but it was the rear-drive Interceptor on which it was based that won its fan base. With only 6,400 examples made over the course of its 10-year production run, the Interceptor remains a highly coveted automobile among the faithful, who saw the Carrozzeria Touring-designed GT as the epitome of the British sportscar.

Naturally its 60s/70s construction left a little to be desired in the long run, but one company is dedicated to giving the Interceptor a new lease on life. Jensen International Automotive – previously known as V Eight Ltdand relaunched with new financial backing – is “producing” a limited number of Interceptor S models in the UK. And by producing, we mean modifying. JIA takes an existing Interceptor and fits it with a lighter and more powerful General Motors LS3 V8 (in the place of the original Chrysler engine), AP Racing disc brakes and an independent rear suspension.

The result is an 800-pound weight reduction to yield a 4.5-second 0-60 run and a top speed upwards of 160 miles per hour. Not bad for a car four decades old. But with prices for the finished product – of which JIA will only churn out 18 per year – coming in at upwards of £105,000 ($164k), you’d have to really love the old Jensen to justify the value.